A playful young sloth bear at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo has made a remarkable recovery after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured femur using Arthrex veterinary orthopedic products.
Bowie, a beloved 160-pound, one-year-old sloth bear, is known for her energetic personality and playful interactions with her caregivers. So, when zoo staff noticed she was limping in her habitat earlier this year, they knew something was wrong.
“We don’t know how she injured herself, but x-rays showed a clean break in her femur,” said Woodland Park Zoo Animal Care Manager Christine Verador. “Sloth bears are very active, and her habitat is filled with trees and rocks to climb on, so we think she likely got her leg caught in something in her habitat and broke it pulling free.”
Sadly, in most cases, a bear in human care with a leg fracture often ends up being euthanized.
“It is very difficult to cast a broken bone in a wild animal, and keeping a bear like Bowie quiet for it to heal is a challenge,” Christine said.
But luck was on Bowie’s side. Duane Robinson, DVM, PhD., DACVS-SA, is a board-certified veterinary surgeon who specializes in orthopedic procedures and has worked at the Woodland Park Zoo previously. He and his team were available to operate on Bowie just days after the injury.
“We looked at her radiographs and saw that it was a pretty standard fracture configuration,” Dr. Robinson said. “It was a spiral or short oblique fracture of the mid-diaphysis [the middle shaft of a long bone], so we think she got it caught on something while twisting or turning.”Dr. Robinson operated on Bowie using a 10-hole 3.5mm OrthoLine™ fracture plate, secured with 3.5 mm cortical screws and 4.0 mm locking screws. He also applied a 3.0 mm OrthoLine plate using a combination of 3.0 mm cortical, locking and variable-angle locking (VAL) screws. All implants used in the procedure were donated by Arthrex following consultation with the Vet Systems team.
“We were pleased to support the Woodland Park Zoo in repairing Bowie’s fracture,” said Arthrex Vet Systems Senior Product Manager Matthew Houbre. “The versatility of Arthrex’s OrthoLine fracture management system is unmatched in the industry. We are proud to support the advancement of veterinary care and collaborate with veterinary surgeons in these unique clinical settings.”
Bowie’s surgery was a success, and after approximately eight weeks of recovery in a maternity den with her mother, Kushali, and another month in a larger enclosure, she returned to her habitat and can once again be seen on exhibit at the zoo.
“We believe Bowie’s case is an important one that we should issue a report on,” Dr. Robinson said. “The zoo industry is so small, and because of the nature of the animals we treat, it’s a bit of the wild west. It’s amazing that she has recovered so well, and we’d like to share that with others in the industry.”
According to the Woodland Park Zoo, Bowie is back to her playful self. She spends her days playing and wrestling with her mother, Kushali, and is expected to remain with her until about 18 months of age. After that, zoo officials hope she will one day have cubs of her own and continue delighting visitors for years to come.
“Honestly, I am just amazed at how well this all turned out,” Christine said. “It’s so rewarding to know that she will get to go on and live a normal bear life in this environment.”
Today, Bowie's full recovery serves as a testament to the dedication of her care team and the advancements in veterinary orthopedic technology that helped give her a second chance at a healthy future.
